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Lax Goalie Rat Podcast
Lax Goalie Rat Podcast
LGR 239: Duke Freshman Phenom Goalie Patrick Jameison
What does it take to earn the starting goalie spot as a freshman at a top-tier lacrosse program like Duke University? Find out in this episode of the Lax Goalie Rap Podcast, where we chat with Patrick Jamison, the standout freshman goalie who has taken the lacrosse world by storm. Patrick opens up about his unique path from being a competitive club player to stepping into the shoes of a national championship finalist. He shares his mindset, training techniques, and the invaluable lessons learned from renowned coach Alex Reddy, giving listeners a rare glimpse into the elements that have fueled his extraordinary freshman season.
Ever wondered how a goalie mentally prepares for the barrage of shots in a high-stakes game? Patrick takes us back to his early days in lacrosse, starting as a goalie out of a simple dislike for running, and the transformative experiences at Net Nation camps led by Brian Docherty. We explore the importance of mental resilience, the "next shot" mentality, and the Philly flow system that emphasizes efficient movement. Patrick also talks about his transition from midfield to goalie, the supportive role of influential coaches like Drew Adams and Austin Coutt, and the joy he finds in mentoring young goalies.
As we wrap up, Patrick reflects on the challenges of adapting to higher levels of play, from high school to college, and the importance of maintaining consistency in fundamental techniques. He shares practical advice on adjusting to faster ball movement and higher shot speeds, emphasizing the need for mental toughness and the ability to quickly move past poor performances. We also delve into his gear preferences, shedding light on the specifics of his setup and the nuances of stringing his own heads. Don’t miss this insightful conversation with one of college lacrosse’s rising stars, filled with valuable lessons for goalies at every level.
So for me I always kind of wanted to win, so I was always really super competitive and I always had wanted to play college lacrosse. That was kind of always a goal of mine since growing up. So that was kind of working towards at least from the club level. You're working towards that end goal of being able to get committed and play in college.
Speaker 2:Ladies and gentlemen, goalies from around the world, welcome to the Lax Goalie Rap Podcast. I'm your host, coach Damon, and this is the show 100% dedicated to the lacrosse goalie, and on this show I like to interview the best goalies in our sport and really just pick their brain, find out what makes them so great in terms of the techniques that they've learned, the coaching that they've done and received, that they've learned, the coaching that they've done and received, the mindset that they have really anything that you can use to improve your own lacrosse goalie game. On the show this week we've got Duke goalie Patrick Jamison just had a tremendous freshman season earning the starting role. After Will Helm led Duke's team to the national championship game. It was somewhat of a foregone conclusion, in my mind anyways, that you return with that starting goalie, but Patrick, as a freshman, earned the starting role and had a tremendous season. We talk about his mindset going into that, how he got the coaching and where he played and how he developed his game working with Alex Reddy, lacrosse at Duke and a bunch more. Awesome young man, awesome episode. Please enjoy my conversation with Patrick Jamison.
Speaker 2:Before we begin this episode, I want to read a word from our sponsor, and that is my own Lax Goalie Rat Academy. If you're looking to level up your youth's lacrosse goalie game with the best coaches in this sport, the best training tools and the best goalie community, that's what the Lax Goalie Rat Academy is all about. It's virtual training tools that's going to give your young goalie the confidence to be great so they can go out there, play well and make you that proud goalie mom or proud goalie dad. There's over 130 hours of content on different areas like drills, techniques, the mental game, lacrosse IQ, offense defense, how to play one-on-one defense. There are stringing tutorials and there's even sessions on how to coach goalies, along with physical training Everything you need to level up your youth lacrosse goalie game from the best coaches out there.
Speaker 2:Pll Athletes, unlimited coaches, myself, coach Damon Wilson, Put a ton of effort into this academy. I think it's an amazing training resource. You can join for just 40 bucks a month. Netflix models. You come in 40 bucks for your first month, stay as long as you want, cancel any time. We also do live coaching sessions, or I should say I do live coaching sessions about once a month so you can join those, ask me questions or really just connect with any number of lacrosse goalie moms, dads or youth goalies out there To join. Go to laxgoalieratcom slash camp C-A-M-P. Laxgoalieratcom slash C-A-M-P camp and you can get started for just 40 bucks for your very first month. Laxgoalieratcom slash camp Hope to see you there, take care. Pleasure to welcome to the podcast. Patrick Jamison just wrapped up his freshman year Duke University. Awesome freshman year, patrick. Welcome to the show.
Speaker 1:Thank you, I'm pumped to be here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's going to be awesome. We're going to talk goalie for the next 45 minutes, one hour. I can't think of anything better, really. But really I'd like to uh start by asking you, um, do you remember the story of you jumping into goal for the very first time?
Speaker 1:I I do not remember a specific memory. I just remember hearing my mom tell me it was because I didn't like to run. So that was kind of where I could be without having to run a whole lot.
Speaker 2:So you're one. You're one of those. I I was certainly um. That was a huge part of why I played goalie was not wanting to run. I started playing midi and you're like, you know, you're running in all the drills and you're like I got this feeling like I'm gonna throw up every single practice. And then you jump into goal and you're like this is nice, this is, I can get used to this I know it's relaxing right until until the shots start getting fired at you, right.
Speaker 1:That's fair. Yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So the but did you what? At what age did you start?
Speaker 1:What like when? Definitely when I was younger, probably fourth or fifth grade.
Speaker 2:Okay, and coming out like like the Phil. You grew up in the Philadelphia area.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I've been here my whole life. I just went to a boarding school for my senior year in Northern Virginia.
Speaker 2:Okay, cool. Well, I want to touch on that. Um, so what was it? Do you think about the goalie position, apart from the lack of running that, like, initially, like drew you in Because certainly you know the lack of running is great, but you got, there's gotta be something there that that that makes you, uh, stick with it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, I, I just really like kind of being the last line of defense, being able to make saves If the defense does get beaten, and starting starting the starting the offense from the goalie.
Speaker 2:Yeah, A lot of young kids feel a lot of pressure in the last line of defense, right, Because you know if you don't make the save, you know it's a, it's a point on the scoreboard. What would you say to those young kids Like you said, I really liked being the last line of defense, Cause some kind of feel overwhelmed by that pressure. What would you say to those youngsters who feel that way?
Speaker 1:Just have to have fun with it. Obviously you got to kind of go into games knowing you're going to get scored on. And a couple of times you do get scored on there. It is all. I should have saved that. But a lot of times it's like, okay, I got scored on, it wasn't was a good shot, Next save. Got to kind of have that next play mentality.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, just that, that next shot mentality and then, yeah, that understanding of I am going to get, I am going to get scored on. So when it does happen, it's not this like you, you know, huge thing, right, it happens. Yes exactly Reset and move on. Um cool, um then. How did you then? You know, fourth, fifth grade, you start playing goalie? How did you go about kind of learning how to make saves? Was there some coaches or camps that you attended?
Speaker 1:Um, so I always every winter went to net nation, which was, uh, in like right outside of philadelphia, which is ran by brian docherty. Yeah, um, so that would be say five sundays every winter, kind of leading right up to the spring season. Um, and I did that every winter for up to. I did all through high school until I was obviously a boarding school, but I started as early as I can remember, probably probably sixth grade, maybe.
Speaker 2:Nice, yeah, net nations. And then so with Drew Adams and Austin Coutt as well.
Speaker 1:Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, awesome, awesome. What would? What were some things that like, or some big ahas that you learned there right away.
Speaker 1:The first thing, kind of what is always taught, is just kind of moving, um, moving all in all in one motion. Uh, hands and feet move together and you're just being efficient, getting from point a to point b as quick as possible. I'd say kind of that's the main teaching point and that's kind of what we are at.
Speaker 1:That nation emphasizes the most, which is very helpful for me, just kind of getting that base of how I'm moving my feet and doing it as efficient as possible. And then, once I I got that down, you can kind of build on every other aspect, whether that's getting better at high shots, low shots, wherever just really getting the motions of it down first.
Speaker 2:Yeah, interesting, would you say, and I think they call it the flow system, right, the Philly flow system. Would you say it's just more of like a different way about thinking about the movement, or is there something that you're like specifically doing I don't know during your save movement that helps you go hands and feet together?
Speaker 1:I wouldn't say there's anything specific that I'm thinking about or kind of having it having to do. I just think it's muscle memory at this point. I've been doing it for so long. It just kind of happens, and since that was the way I was, I was always taught. Now it's just kind of almost automatic for me if I'm making a save, I'm kind of just flowing through it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then when you teach the youngsters, so it's, it's. It's not like all right shot comes top hand, goes straight to the ball, lead foot steps, those are kind of like two steps. It's like go, go with those, go together, get, get your body behind it.
Speaker 1:That type of yes exactly yes, so that's like the big thing. I'm also training kids on the side, so what I'm kind of trying to teach is it's not your hand goes and then your foot goes, it's your hand and feet. They're moving at the same exact time and then your back foot follows. Yeah, so everywhere, everywhere, it's like top hand's going off the guy, your left foot's going with it, top hand's going, sticks out, your right hand's moving with it. Everything's kind of in the same motion.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, love it. Anything else come to mind, the things that really stuck out, that you learned right away with them.
Speaker 1:Kind of just being patient and really fundamentally sound. I know there's some goalies out there that are a little bit guessy like see someone drop their hands. They drop low stuff like that. For me it was just kind of always waiting till I, waiting till I see the ball being locked in on the ball the whole time, right as it comes out of the shooter stick, then reacting, kind of just reacting as soon as I see it. No, no pre-shot movement or anything like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that movement or anything like that. Yeah that, um, that patient swan is so big, it's so huge. I remember I was uh shooting like um goalies on the sideline during one game and I had like the camera with like the sports lens so I could zoom like super far in and like just zooming in on the goalie and you could always tell when the shot was coming, because this goalie would, like you know he's in his stance, he's moving around, he looks set, and then the shot's about ready to come and he gets all jittery and like kind of even like shrinks the knees in together, and so being able to avoid that is a huge thing. And it's tough, right, it's tough because when someone's winding up at you, your natural instinct is to do that, and so how did you overcome?
Speaker 1:that, similar to what I said earlier. I think it's just all a muscle memory thing. Yeah, um, you're not one day gonna wake up and go into your backyard and get shots, and this should be automatically fixed. It'll be something you have to drill every like, every day or every week.
Speaker 2:Over time it'll just continue to evolve as you keep going yeah, and there's probably still even reps today, like at at Duke, that like you know where it happens, right, and and you know exactly. Yeah, I mean, it still happens to the best of them out there and so, yeah, it is hands for you winding up. You're kind of locking up a little bit right, so it's obviously something something that's still getting trying to get better every day yeah, yeah, love it. Um, what would you say is your favorite part about the goalie?
Speaker 1:um, I would say my favorite part is just kind of being being able to make saves for my defenders if they were, they were to get beat because there's. I would say my favorite part is just kind of being being able to make saves for my defenders If they were, they were to get beat, because there's a lot of times where they bail me out in the game. If someone's about to shoot, they have a back check or something like that and they take the ball away a ton of times a game play really good defense, so I kind of just like being able to get it back to them by being able to come with a big, big come up, come up with a big save.
Speaker 2:That is a good feeling, right, that is a good feeling especially when they get absolutely juked. They get the ankles broken and you can make that save help prevent them from going viral right.
Speaker 1:Yes, definitely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's awesome. What about, on the other end, least favorite part about being the lacrosse?
Speaker 1:goalie Least favorite part would say. Kind of, there's a couple of times where it's just there's a day or two, whether it's a practice or in a game, where I kind of just feel like every kid on the offense has my number. Uh, just an off day. I always, always dislike those. It's like almost like a feeling of helplessness and that where you're kind of trying your best but everything kind of just seems to fall.
Speaker 2:Yeah, interesting, and we've all gone through those. And they get tricky when, like, there's two or three of them in a row, right Cause, then you're like, wow, like now what's going on right, like yesterday was a bad day. Now it's a bad day. How do you, how do you break out of a slump? Have you been in one and like talk?
Speaker 1:to me how you got through it.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So it's just. I think all about kind of just whether you have a even if it's just a bad goal that goes in. You just kind of think all right, next seed. And even if it's a bad day of practice, you're like all right, today's done, I'm in the locker room, we're finished, now I just need to bring it tomorrow. I kind of just just erasing it from your memory right after it happens and then focusing on the next thing Well, that's the next practice, next shot, stuff like that. And obviously it can be tough mentally when you're having a couple of bad days in a row, but it's just showing up to work every day, trying to be your best.
Speaker 2:It is tough, Right, and it is tough when you, when you got two or three practices in a row and you start getting in your own head about, like you know, and doubting your abilities. But yeah, I mean you, you you're putting in the work and you just got to flush it and kind of get back out there. That's the cool thing about being a goalie too, and and sports in general for that matter, is that the next day is an opportunity to get better. The next day is an opportunity to get out of that slump, right.
Speaker 1:Yes, definitely.
Speaker 2:Awesome, Cool. And then. So you grew up in the Philly area and you play kind of club lacrosse, Brotherly Love yes.
Speaker 1:Talk to me about that club program and kind of your experience playing there. It was awesome. So my 2023s we were the oldest age group, so that was kind of always cool being the oldest guys in the program, since it was a relatively newer club in the Philadelphia area, and then we just had a ton of great guys on our team. Our team was really good, but even just hanging out in practice after games it was always fun to be around those guys. And then we had a great coaching staff as well.
Speaker 2:So you were the very first, like you started the program. I mean, you guys were the first team to start with that program. Then yes. Yeah, yeah. And so if there's somebody, a goalie, who's thinking about, like, selecting a club, what goes into that choice? Why did you choose Brotherly Love versus like the other programs that might have been available?
Speaker 1:So I played for Mesa first up until ninth grade maybe, and then I switched to Brotherly Love for ninth, tenth and eleventh grade. I kind of just think you've got to kind of feel it out a little bit. You've got to find the right fit. Obviously, at some clubs they take it more serious than others, whereas sometimes you're going to be on a team where kids are kind of just playing, just to play um, just kind of go out there and have fun which I obviously am big for having fun but I always really wanted to win and play with other kids who wanted to win yeah so I kind of think you need to find a team and the coaching staff you can surround yourself with what you want, uh, with that whether that be.
Speaker 1:If you do want to have fun, you can go find a team where kids are just kind of out there running around to have fun, or be a team where you're competing in the top tournaments, looking to win every, every game good point.
Speaker 2:Good point, right, because there are a lot of young goalies, young athletes, who like do fall into that, like, hey, I just I'm probably not going to play college lacrosse, I just want to. I just want to have fun, enjoy myself, be outside, get in shape, and that's great right. But know what you want. Yes, if you do want that, uh, higher level of competition, then yeah, that's a good, that's a good point. And did you guys have like goalie coaches that that helped uh, work with you?
Speaker 1:uh, yes, we did so. Drew adams worked with our program up until maybe my sophomore year or junior year. So in our practices, uh, he'd be there a lot in the like fall and winter training, so I'd always work with him. That was a big help I love it.
Speaker 2:Jew adams, yeah one, one of the best pros to ever do it right, I mean he had? Yes, definitely 14 seasons um. He might. Is he the all-time save leader?
Speaker 1:he might, he might be up there with I was just saying I think he's, he's a first or second.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely top five yeah, oh, I'm gonna say definitely top three, maybe even top two yeah, yeah, um, that's awesome. So anything specific from him that that you learned, or was it you know? Was it kind of just an extension of, of, you know, working with net nation?
Speaker 1:I was gonna say, basically just an extension, extension of uh other net nation stuff yeah but he just and also kind of, was able to see my game in a different way than I wasn't able to see it. Oh, um, he could tell me I like you're doing this well, but need to work on this, um, stuff like that and just like, for example what would that be?
Speaker 1:um, that could be like, say you're moving really well to anything on your uh stick side, your hands and feet are moving really well together, but you're all stick low. You're moving your hands before your feet Just just for that, as an example Um and then just the uh amount of drills that he had. He had knew a ton of drills for every different thing, so that was always helpful.
Speaker 2:That is helpful. Yeah, that is cool. Like just cool. Like just hey, I'm struggling with this, and then he's like all right, here's a drill let's do. Let's do that today yes, exactly, yeah, awesome um, did he? Do you ever talk to him about the maverick base goalie head? I have not have you seen that goalie head? You're pretty young, so so I don't even I have?
Speaker 1:I have seen it, yes, I've never used it though okay, um, I just Okay, I just bought one.
Speaker 2:I just bought one, so I just checked it out and I don't have it here with me, unfortunately. But it was the weirdest thing because it gets like so wide at the base, you know, and I think he helped develop it, but then I don't think it was it ended up not working out. So I was just curious. I'll have to ask him about that next time, Very cool. So then you know, at what point do you realize like hey, I'm pretty good, Like I'd like to play Division I lacrosse.
Speaker 1:Is that pretty early on, or talk to me about that. So for me I always kind of wanted to win, so I was always really super competitive and I always had wanted to play college lacrosse. That was kind of always a goal of mine since growing up. So that was kind of working towards at least from the club level you're working towards that end goal of being able to get committed and play in college. Um, and it was kind of a thing that I thought I knew I could do. If I kept working I could definitely achieve that. Yeah, um, so that was kind of just a like a reminder daily that I need to need to keep getting better if I want to go do that goal and play in college.
Speaker 2:Yep, love it, love it. And then, how did you get on Duke's radar and what was it about their program? Do you think that that drew you to it?
Speaker 1:Um, that was just kind of one of the schools that I had grow up returning on a lacrosse game on a Saturday or 10 years old and that's the game that's on. So I had just kind of always known of them and that's ever since I started watching them. When I was younger, that's kind of where I dreamt of going, so that was just kind of as I continued to get older, it had what I was looking for, with obviously great lacrosse and great academics, kind of the perfect blend of everything that I was interested in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it is a great school. I, um, I applied there when I was a senior in high school, but just on academic merits and I was not worthy. They, they did not want me. It's tough, it's very tough, to get in Right and and it is. Yes. You know, that's the beauty about lacrosse is that I'm sure you're strong academically as well, but it is that like extra oomph that that can help you get admitted to great universities.
Speaker 1:Yes, a hundred percent.
Speaker 2:Yeah, very cool, and did you, you know, I think? I think like some rankings came out and you were one of, like, the higher ranked goalies of your class, if I'm not mistaken right? Yes, yeah, does that? You know, when you, when that ranking comes out, it's got to feel good. But some goalies can feel a little bit of pressure. Now, like you get scored on and they're like oh, you're the number one ranked goalie. You know what I mean, and that you can kind of feel a little bit of that pressure. Did that, did that happen to you?
Speaker 1:Talk to me about that I mean not really. I never really looked too deep into those things because you could have one of the evaluators or whatever watch one of your club games where you don't have a great game and then not watch the whole rest of the summer Like oh, this kid's not good because I saw him play a bad one game. I just kind of think that I mean they obviously are pretty good rankings, but I just don't really think it means a whole lot. Obviously, one game can't really determine how good you are at your ranking. So I kind of never really looked too deeply in that. I mean it's cool to be kind of up there and like getting recognized, but this doesn't really mean a whole lot to me. It's not going to make you play better, in my opinion, or it doesn't determine how good you really are. So in my opinion, or it doesn't determine how good you really are. So I kind of just would look at it, be kind of cool, whatever, and then move on from it.
Speaker 2:That's smart. That's smart, yeah, very smart. Did you interact with Coach Alex Reddy, kind of in the recruiting process, or when did you? Only when you got to Duke did you start working with him.
Speaker 1:So when I first got recruited and committed to duke, that was my junior year in 2021 so they had no uh goalie coaches at the time. So my senior year was coach ready's first year. Got it, yeah, um. So we were kind of in touch a little bit.
Speaker 1:Nothing on a c obviously was focusing on the goalies at school, so it wasn't really anything too deep, kind of just getting to know each other yeah and then over the summer I had sent him some film from high school and stuff like that, just so he could kind of have a plan ready for when we got on the campus of what I what I should be working on yeah and then and then, obviously, once I got, once I got on the campus, he was kind of kind of the guy I would work with every day yeah, what, what?
Speaker 2:uh, what was that plan? Because a lot of goalies email me, um, the question about like hey, I'm moving up in level and whether that be like, you know, high school, more like junior high to high school, is kind of the the age cream that they usually emails me.
Speaker 1:But it could be from high school to college as well, but you know, um, so for me, the first kind of say two weeks give or take a little more, a little less was just kind of getting adjusted to the speed of everything. Yeah, um, and that's the same as going from. As you're going from eighth grade to high school and then high school to college, everything is just that much quicker ball movement, shot speed and, as in high school, where it was like the teams I was playing, they had two kids that could shoot really well, and then you're going to college where every single kid on your roster can shoot really well, it was just kind of getting adjusted to that, which was obviously way different than anything I was used to, but it wasn't anything too difficult. It was just kind of an adjustment period. So that is kind of what I say.
Speaker 1:The biggest, I think the biggest pieces in going from middle school to high school and then high school to college, which is something that is going to, you can work on it on your own, like I could last summer. I could have gone out to the field with kids that played in college. But I think it's just kind of going to come once you are actually in practice. You're going through everything live, and then it will take some time, and that's everyone, no matter how good you are, some shorter than others, but everyone's gonna have to adjust at some point.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you're right. Yeah, I mean, you know there is an adjustment period and it, you know getting shots from the, the, the kid that shoots the best in your, on your team or or even in your, in your town, right, um, I've even recommended goalies, you know, if they don't have like a good shooter, to look up like local colleges and then just see the roster and then like look at those kids on instagram and like, dm them and and say, hey, can you come shoot on me and like a lot of people have had success with that yeah, definitely yeah, um, very cool.
Speaker 2:What about the mental game Is that? You know, is that something that, um, I mean you gotta have great mental game to perform well at the at the top levels of college lacrosse. So I imagine it's something that you spent a little time thinking about.
Speaker 1:But you know, what are some kind of some mental game lessons that really have have stuck with you you, um, I would probably say this year it was kind of there were obviously some games where I didn't perform my best, um.
Speaker 1:So obviously it was kind of tough in the game, like I said earlier, kind of one of the days you feel like you can't save a whole lot, um. So I think the biggest thing for me was kind of, whatever happens, win or loss take some of the games on Saturday, take some time Sunday to think about it, watch the film from the game, talk to the coaches about it, whatever, and then, right as Monday starts it's Monday you're preparing for your game for the next weekend and that's kind of what I think the biggest part mentally is. Obviously You're going to have a bad game here and there. It's just kind of all about how you respond and trying not to let yourself get in a slump. You just need to show up Monday, whatever you have to work on, dial that in and then just be ready to perform on whatever your next game is.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a huge lesson right. I mean it's kind of a form of the next shot mentality. Is that just being able? To move on right and and and being okay with that. I don't know call it failure, that little mini failure, whether that be giving up a goal or having a having a bad game and being okay with that, right, and then just moving on and not having that in your head and then, just moving on and not having that in your head, yes, yeah.
Speaker 1:And then that's obviously the same as even for club tournaments, where you're playing three games in a day. You start off your day with a bad game, then you've got that's kind of a good thing. You're like okay, now I've got a game in an hour to redeem myself and play better. Or in high school, where it's like you've got a game on a Tuesday, you play bad, get a practice Wednesday, then another game on Thursday to redeem yourself again.
Speaker 2:So that's kind of in every, every level of play, you're going to be able to have that uh chance to make up for it. Yeah, yeah, and one of the things I recommend, if you don't have that opportunity, to make up for it right away, because because you know, like you said, if you're playing a tournament and you got a game at noon and then your next game's at three, like it's right, you know you're right into it right away. If you don't have that opportunity, I would say get back out there and do something, like take some shots or hit the wall or I don't know, jump rope or do something. Because you know the mind is a tricky thing where, like you can sit and brew with that negative game in your head. But if you get back out there and do something, then then then the last thought in my head is like how hard I'm working. It's not the bad game I just had yeah, yes, exactly so, uh, very cool, and then, um.
Speaker 2:So you get to campus and then you know what? Um does your game change at all? I mean, you got to get used to the speed right, but, like you know, are you playing deeper in the goal, is your stance wider or any any sort of adjustments that you made um to your goalie game?
Speaker 1:um so for the most part everything was relatively the same. Um, there are little little tweaks here and there. Like you said, my stance was widened out a little bit, um, but other than that really everything was kind of pretty similar. Um, for when I first got there, the only really thing was just beat a little bit wider okay, and then anything that like coach, coach ready, taught you that um, you want to share.
Speaker 1:That would help other goalies, you think young goalies- um, so I would definitely say, just because this year, from what I worked on was a whole lot of low shots, just because that was kind of the area of my game that needed the most work and from looking at the games, it's kind of where I was getting scored on the most, so that was huge. Having him for that, being able to go through film on a Sunday or whatever two days after a game, and then being able to go out to the field and practice and have him give me drills, tell me how, what I'm doing wrong, how to fix that, so that was very helpful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do you think that's what? What would you say to a young goalie who's having trouble with low shots, for example? How would you do? I mean, what sort of recipe would you give them to help fix it?
Speaker 1:It was is it the same? Um? So I kind of think it, you need to kind of first figure out what it is that's going wrong, whether it's you're not stepping or you just kind of got to figure out the problem why the shots are going in, and then from from there because just there's obviously a ton of different things it can be and then you've got to kind of try and figure that out of how to fix that. But I think the biggest thing first is recognizing okay, I'm not doing this, which is why they're going in. I think that'll help a lot to figure out what to do to start making more saves.
Speaker 2:So yeah, and then I mean, if you can like get it, get some tape or you can even record yourself with the iPhone and um and watch that and you know frame by frame and slow motion, and just go through that checklist of, like you know, feet and hands moving together or my hands getting there Am I getting my hips down? Uh right and not reaching. Um, I don't know what else would you throw on that checklist?
Speaker 1:I know, for me there were a couple of times where my feet were here instead of stepping first out, kind of be in, then out, okay, which we drilled that and then a couple of times when I was getting low was for me it was more of a bend of my back going down and less of me bending, bending my knees.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So that was. That was another thing, to kind of drill or keep it, keeping my chest square and then just bending my knees, bending my knees getting lower.
Speaker 2:Yeah, love it, love it. Um, now do you use that like pre-shot, little like kind of hop to like reset your weight?
Speaker 1:Uh, I do not really normally.
Speaker 2:Interesting Okay.
Speaker 1:I know a lot of people are and have you ever tried it. I have yes, um, I think I, I think I used to do that. I think I've just kind of gotten a lot more patient as I've gotten, uh, as I've gotten like going along, um, I mean, there definitely are sometimes where I do need to do that. If someone were to throw a fake and I kind of get off my line a little bit, I need to hop back into my stance.
Speaker 1:Um, but for the for the most part, I would say my feet are pretty, pretty still trying to try to get more on the balls, my feet bouncing up, uh, putting the weight on the balls, my feet a little.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what do you do to uh train that patience, to?
Speaker 1:train that patience? That's a good question. I don't think it's anything specifically. I just kind of like, similar to what we talked about earlier, the way I was coached coming up was just wait till you see the ball, and I think I've done that so much to a certain point where that's, I would say, is my play style. I'm really patient. I've done that so much to a certain point where that's, I would say, is my play style. I'm really patient.
Speaker 1:So that's just kind of as I, as I and in practice, it's what all I'm thinking about is I'm waiting, waiting to see the ball to react and trying not to have any pre-shot movements.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and do you ever use any like verbal cues, like I don't know, sit, sit, like I don't know, sit, sit, sit, or like you know saying something to yourself to help remind yourself to be patient, or or no?
Speaker 2:I do not know yeah yeah, I know some goalies do and that can be like a, you know, just kind of a verbal reminder of like not not to go too early, because a lot of times you're right, like you know, the shots come in. I mean, especially when the dude can rip it and you're like all right, I gotta go, got to go. I got to go so fast that, like, even before the shots coming, you know you're starting to like ah, and you see a lot of this, like you know, like dropping the hands and then trying to come back up and get it right or step right and go in full step.
Speaker 2:So yeah, patience is key.
Speaker 1:Yes, and one of the things that helped a lot this year whether it would be in warm-ups with Coach Reddy if he kind of saw that I was moving a little early. He had this drill which was called the yes drill, so he'd be standing there and he were kind of along an arc up top and I'd have to wait, be in my stance and right as I see the ball come out of the stick before I make the save. I'd have to say, yes, that was a drill, just waiting on being patient and not moving. And obviously you're saying yes when you see the ball. So waiting until you see the ball come out of the stick.
Speaker 2:Yeah, love that. Not this last season but the season before. I had a videographer film one of the Duke games and he got the warm-up and Coach Reddy was warming like the warmup, um, and and and coach ready was warming up, uh, uh, the goalie Right, and then like he throws he throws a fake in there, um, and so you know, that's another thing. You can do it. You know to teach that patience, right, because the ball hasn't come out yet you shouldn't be moving, right.
Speaker 1:Yes, exactly, so that's. That's kind of funny. He would do that in practice with us. Uh, so this year we had six goalies so we'd be playing knockout or something rotating in each time and he threw he'll throw a fake in there, kind of whenever, and if you bite on the fake you got to take a lap. So that was always kind of a fun part. Fun part of that, seeing who would bite on the fakes and see who wouldn't.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's funny, that's a lot of goalies, that is yes, yeah, and you win the starting job, you know so, which is pretty amazing, especially given you know the success that the team had last year. And, oh man, I'm blanking on the goalie's name. And, oh man, I'm blanking on the goalie's name last year Will Helm, will Helm, I had him on the podcast. He's a great guy. But, you know, you guys reached the championship game and it's kind of a, in my opinion, a foregone conclusion Like well, we reached there with this goalie. He's going to be the starter and you end up earning the job.
Speaker 1:So talk to me about, you know, I guess, your mindset going into it and and um, you know how, how you didn't let that get to you um.
Speaker 2:So we also had a griffin rackauer who transferred in from princeton.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, nice, yeah so. So it was kind of going into when we first started practice. It wasn't really anything, nothing was really set in stone, goalie wise, um, so for the first, kind of honestly, for most of the fall and the winter, I would say, it was kind of them too, battling it out. And obviously, since it was, since my kind of mindset was just since nothing's nothing's definite, and it's september or october right now, the first game's not till february. I just need to keep keep showing up every day making plays and then my name will be in that conversation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it was, and it was yes.
Speaker 2:And, by the way, alex Reddy just presented at this last lacrosse goalie summit that I did and I asked him like well, what was it? Because judging goalie talent, trying to select a starter, can sometimes be like, like, like picking your NFL quarterback. You know, it's not like this, it's not like it's some intangibles going on and sometimes, um, it's tough. And um, he just said, you know, patrick outplayed everyone in the scrimmages, um, and that was kind of it. So you had some good performances, um, and I guess that that earned you the starting role.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yes how do you, um, you know, as a freshman, um, it can be sometimes challenging to be a leader because you don't have that seniority right and and sometimes I mean I think the best teams have goalies who are leaders. So how did you, as a freshman sort of, how did you be a leader?
Speaker 1:I kind of think it's just, first importantly, getting comfortable with all the guys off the field, getting to connect with everyone on a deeper level. That's outside of lacrosse and I think that's a huge part of it, and obviously that's still something we lose. We had Ty Carpenter and Kenny Brower, who are both tremendous leaders on the field this past year and with losing them so I'll need to step up a ton for next year being being that leader on defense. But I think it is just kind of understanding everyone on the defense, kind of understanding what makes them take a little bit and just being able to connect with them.
Speaker 2:Right Cause. Then you build up that trust and and they'll listen to you. They'll listen to you a little bit more right, You're not, you're not. It's not like you're coming in day one on a club team and sort of barking people around and they're like who is this guy?
Speaker 2:Right, they know, they know who you are off the on and off the field and and it gives you a little bit more confidence to speak up, put your opinion out there. When you're talking team strategy and all that good stuff, let them know what you see. Yes, awesome, very cool. What's it like stopping a Brendan O'neill shot? That people want to know?
Speaker 1:he shoots very fast. It's been a uh, frequently asked question this summer. A lot of people ask me that. But, um, so in the in the he was, it didn't play off ball, he was hurt. And then in the spring, normally for when we're doing doing our main stuff in practice, it'll be the the scout offense versus the starter guys on defense and scout defense versus starter guys on offense. So in the spring I didn't get to go against him a whole lot, but there would be sometimes the beginning of practice when we do four-on-four drills with the whole team. So that was always kind of fun going against him. But I remember his first practice back was might have been for our parents weekend, so all the parents were there and I just remember he was. Maybe it was an unsettled drill, maybe a two on one or three on two, and he had shot it and it was just kind of like, wow, I barely even saw the ball until it was in the back of the net.
Speaker 2:One of the challenging things is it's so unique and and the way, especially when he's on the run, or the way he like drops his hands, like so low, right, yes, but then from that you know he can shoot both, both high and and low, when you like as a goalie, like how you know you're trying to lock in on that release point. Are you like looking at the ball when it's like down there on the ground? How do you approach that for your vision?
Speaker 1:I'm trying to stay focused on the ball. Sometimes it's tough because it protects the stick really well. I think the most important thing is reading the release. He brings his hands up, seeing if it's going straight and staying high or coming out down and going low yeah, yeah and that's tough, it's tough, right yeah very.
Speaker 2:That's what. What makes it so hard? Um, awesome. Um, well, congrats on a great season. Um your freshman year, I mean a lot, a lot of great things to come. Um, what would you say? Is the the best game? If I was gonna, we're gonna take a look at one of the games. Does any game this season come to mind for you personally?
Speaker 1:I would say, statistically, probably Richmond, I think, my best game. This also might be because it was one of my favorite games, but I would say the Virginia game, I think yeah, um, just because you guys knocked them off, because you, uh, because we knocked them off. Our defense played really well. I thought I played well um and it was just uh was our. All our alumni were there. It was just basically sold out 80 degrees on a sunday. That couldn't be any better that sounds fun, very.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, they're probably giving in the business a little bit. It's fun, fun to hear um, so that's cool, um cool, any other I don't know. Lessons or stories from this season that you want to share.
Speaker 1:I would say just the main takeaway from this year, if I were to give to other goalies, which is, if you looked at my stats, it was like not perfect every game. It's just kind of being able to, once you get past a bad game, being able to think start, all right, that game's over, now it's the next game.
Speaker 2:I'm going to play well this game and once you play well the next game then there's no thought in your mind of two weeks ago, when you played bad yeah. Yeah, it's kind of a kind of a theme of what?
Speaker 1:we've been talking about.
Speaker 2:So that's awesome. And then and then you know going in now. We're now in the summer, after your freshman year. You know what? Where do you go from here, like, are there specific things that you're working on? Is it just a matter of, like, keeping relatively fit and fine tuned to go back into it? Or, like I said, are there specific things you're working on?
Speaker 1:Um, so definitely lacrosse wise, just cleaning up, continuing to improve, uh anywhere below my waist and then just being able to uh get in great shape, uh. So when I go back to school I'll be ready for that, for our running, lifting and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And then so kind of doing everything I can on my own now and then really just being prepared for when we get back to school, when we're being coached up, and then being able to get as as much better as I possibly can down there.
Speaker 2:That's cool. Awesome. Well, wish you nothing but Awesome. Well, wish you nothing but the best of luck in this upcoming season. I wanted to ask about Coach Danowski. Like legend, you know, legendary coach.
Speaker 1:Is there something you know, kind of one of the lesson that he constantly preaches that you could share with us, or anything come to mind? So one of the one of the biggest things I would say from this year was kind of just. He would always tell us you guys have to be competent. Um, we just have to show up and play, just for our whole team collectively. Show up and play and everything will be fine. Do the things that the coaches are telling us we do. We do what they say to do in practice, and then we do that in the game will be more than fine, um, and then he's just able to connect with all the kids, all the guys on our team on a personal level, which is really cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean that kind of goes back to that conversation we had about being a leader, right, and I mean what more of a leader than the head coach? And to see him do it as well, right is, he's getting to know the kids on and off um and kind of.
Speaker 1:Then then you trust him a little bit more, right yes, exactly, and kind of, and that's anything, whether that's personal, school-wise or lacrosse. Really, you could kind of, oh, you'd always have him in your corner, could go to him for anything you need to help you out with, whatever it was that's cool, that's cool, um, awesome.
Speaker 2:Well, I know you're coaching, uh, you know I know you're coaching, uh, youth or with your old club, yeah, this summer, uh, yes, talk to me a little bit about that uh, that's been a ton of fun.
Speaker 1:It's been uh nice to kind of get a short stick in my hand a little bit and shoot uh on these goalies and just kind of, like I said earlier, see, see the game kind of from a perspective that the kids I'm coaching can, just because at least that's how I felt when I was getting coached by a coach ready.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But it's been kind of cool to cool to be on the other side of it. I just kind of kind of being there for the kids if they have any questions about anything lacrosse related, um, and then just try to help them, get them as much better as possible yeah, yeah, it's, it's um.
Speaker 2:It's interesting that I think all lacrosse goalies who are currently playing should absolutely coach right now, um, because in order to like explain something to somebody, you have to like know it at like a much deeper level than just actually doing it, cause you got to explain it Right, yes, and so it improves your own game tremendously.
Speaker 1:It does.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so, yeah, so it is. It is really interesting seeing stuff from the sidelines or when I'm shooting on a kid or practice, just watching, so it is. It is really cool to witness that, as opposed to seeing it from standing in between the pipes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, seeing it from standing in between the pipes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, unfortunately I realized that I have a horrible shot. Um, yeah, I'm still working on mine, you're still working on yours all right.
Speaker 2:Well, you're a lot younger than me so I like we're I did, I was like doing a clinic and we were doing like uh, uh, you know, like goalie wars or like you know, you just do one rep and if you get scored on you're out and you kind of like keep going to get a winner and I couldn't score in these kids, I couldn't score. So these are, like you know, eighth graders, ninth grade, you know the youngsters, and so I'm like all right, I got to move in a little bit and give myself a little more of an advantage. But yeah, it's funny, I'm a goalie, not a shooter.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's the same for me, so I got to keep getting better at it. Yeah, I love it. Any common mistakes that you see with the youth, I would say kind of a big thing. I think a lot of younger guys, they, they hop in the, hop in the net, for whatever reason that may be, and they're never really coached. They're just kind of playing to try and make a save and not worrying about how they're making a save. So I think that's kind of the biggest thing and I think that's something you need to do when you're when you uh first start playing, because it's a lot easier when you're like, for what I said when I, it was kind of when I first started playing goalie that I was getting coached. That was the first step I was learning.
Speaker 1:Yeah, as opposed to if you're kind of kind of doing it on your own, really just thinking about only making a save, not wondering how you're making a save, and then you get to eighth grade or so and you're trying to be coached, and then you have to break all these habits you've been doing for two or two or three years or however long, right, um, and especially when you're getting into high school, if you want to be recruited. You've got a couple, like two or two years, to do that. Um, so it's kind of tough to to break two years or so uh, long habits of habits?
Speaker 2:yeah, because it is muscle memory, right? Yeah? Yes yeah, that's a good point. I mean, just the bad habit is sort of not understanding the fundamentals, like having no, no coaching, um, and so that's kind of what we're doing here, with lax goalie rat and I know a lot of other goalie coaches online are doing the same Um, just trying to get that that knowledge out there.
Speaker 2:So you know, what I'd recommend is is I mean, there's a lot of free stuff out there. You can kind of learn the basics, um, and then kind of take that to the field and kind of hone it in mold that yes clay right yes all right, um, very cool, um, I think that's about it. What, what about your stick setup? I think you do. You do eclipse three yes, uh, let's see.
Speaker 1:I don't have it in my room at the moment, but Eclipse 3 with Grizzly 1S and then an STX fiber shaft. Actually, I can grab the head.
Speaker 2:I've got the head real quick.
Speaker 1:so this one's, uh, this one's not not broken in too much and I haven't completely been stringing it, but I normally for all this year I did the uh, I used paracord, so I got a royal blue, paracord, white head, uh, white strings did the same same pattern all year, kind of just uh, going mostly ones down the whole side and then uh, this top string yeah, nice, and you string your own heads um whole side.
Speaker 1:And then this top string, yeah, nice, and you string your own heads? I do. And then I've also had a the sidewall Jedi string. A couple of mine.
Speaker 2:Ooh, shout out, lars. Yeah, that guy that guy's awesome.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's great.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you got a couple of black hole devices over there.
Speaker 1:I did.
Speaker 2:And then I noticed well, maybe you haven't put the shooters in yet, but you, you go with the ghost pocket.
Speaker 1:No shooters uh, no, I do I, I normally just uh. This year I just had one, one shooter across, um, okay, maybe five, five rows down, um, yeah, I used to have, I used to have two of it. And then one day, my senior year kind of, was raining a little bit, not throwing too well, so I took, took the shooter out and I kind of liked the way it was raining a little bit and not throwing too well, so I took the shooter out.
Speaker 2:I liked the way.
Speaker 1:It was thrown more Ever since then. I just stuck with that.
Speaker 2:Just one shooter straight across. A lot of goalies ask me about what's the best shooter setup. A lot of it is so personal in terms of the feel. That's what a lot of it is.
Speaker 1:Just the that, just that final feel of how it, how it grows right. Exactly that's kind of you would. You would look at. Uh, for the most part, every every college goalie stick is at least somewhat different, um, whether it's how the sidewalls are strong top string what type of mess? Um, and then shooting strings also. That's just. I wouldn't say that's one that's there's a right or wrong.
Speaker 1:It's just you need to experiment with it, see what you're able to able to help with rebound control yeah, and then able to throw a nice outlet pass, and I think you need to be able to find a mix of um, a shooting string where you can throw, kind of a touch pass, throw a uh like a hard pass, and all different types of passes that you got to be able to come from a comfortable throwing yeah, and duke is uh like a nike sponsored school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, stx stx nike. Yes stx, nike, cool. So what do you remember? What gloves you use?
Speaker 1:I used the uh surgeon razors oh, those new ones yes and they had. They had goalie gloves for that this year, so right right, right right.
Speaker 2:Do you like those? I really like them yes okay, um, I haven't used those. Um and a lot of goalies asked me about them. Um, have you had, have you ever had, any issues with like thumb injuries?
Speaker 1:I have never, no, so I'm kind of lucky enough to never have that um. And since I haven't, I know there's some goalies who wear extra thumb protection and since that's never really been a problem for me, I've never really kind of worried about it. So fingers crossed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, fingers crossed right, because I don't think any Goldie glove is 100% perfect. I've heard of injuries in every single model of gloves and a lot of it is just like does the shot hit you in that right spot at the right time? So a lot of it's just bad. Exactly, unfortunately, exactly. But yeah, I've heard good things about those, those new gloves, I'll have to check them out, yes. And then you got the shield 600 chest pad, the white one. Yes, I do, yeah, yeah, cool.
Speaker 1:And this was this was my first year using that just just cause we were in stx school. So I got that. So it took a little bit to break in, oh like a week or two, just kind of stiff, but I I no complaints, so what'd you use? Before I used the maverick one, that, oh max, oh yeah. Green and gray and white one yeah, yeah, yeah, but you like.
Speaker 2:You ultimately like the shield 600 better uh, I think so yes okay, me too, me too, yeah, um, and then what about the cup you get? You go double cup system, ice hockey, goalie cup. What are we working with there?
Speaker 1:I just use a uh a regular, like shock doctor cup okay, one of the one of the extra extra protection, protective ones. But risky though risky and it is risky, um, but I don't know.
Speaker 2:I just never liked how bulky the other other ones were the other ones are bulky yeah, yeah, um yeah, I was chatting with, uh, uh, anderson moore, right the, the georgetown goalie, and he's got underneath he's got nutty buddy. So, like you know, just the, the regular nutty buddy. But then over top of that he's got the ice hockey ice hockey goalies. He's he's taking no risks out there yeah uh, oh, I got a great question.
Speaker 2:That just came to mind. So why do you think there was so many great like this year? More than any, I feel like freshmen, it was kind of the year of the freshman goalie, like every every year in college lacrosse like maybe you see one goalie like one or two. I mean, this year there was like four or five goalie freshmen not only starting but like doing well, right, I mean yourself, included Fiok Anderson, right, I mean. Why do you think that was? Is it just something to do with your class?
Speaker 1:I'm honestly not really sure, but that's kind of really the first time I've thought about that. It is pretty crazy. I wouldn't say it's anything kind of class-related. I would just kind of say everyone really wants to be out there playing, working really hard. I don't see how good work ethic.
Speaker 2:Love it. Love it Well, patrick. Thank you so much, my man. If folks want to get in contact with you, should I send them to your Instagram, or what's a good? Instagram works great, okay, cool, awesome, well, like I said, good luck in this upcoming season. Thank you. Pleasure getting to know you and chat with you. If you had to leave the goalies out there with a final piece of advice, what would that be?
Speaker 1:Just keep showing up every day with whatever, whether it's practice, games or even on your own time. I think a huge part of my success has come from working in my off time and I think that's kind of the most important thing. You can only do so much in practice. You only practice so many times, especially when you're in high school and and club you're not practicing as much. So it's just kind of you got to kind of really want it. You got to be able to be willing to go outside on your own time, get a friend go to a field, take shots or work on fundamentals anything like that and just kind of have to really want it.
Speaker 2:Beauty, patrick. Thank you so much. So there you have it. Hope you enjoyed that episode. Duke goalie pat jameson gonna be awesome to see how much he improves his game in the following three seasons. Three more years left, as we mentioned, as we talked about, he was earned the starting role as just a freshman. Awesome to hear his story. Really.
Speaker 2:That next shot mentality kind of a key theme for me, right. Being able to get over letting up a bad goal, being able to get over a bad quarter, a bad half bad game, a bad two games, a bad day right, just being able to put that in the back of your mind and reminding yourself that you are a great goalie. And the next day, the next practice, the next game is another opportunity to get out there and prove that. Hope you enjoyed that episode. Hope you learned a thing or two While you're here. I would like to encourage you to join the Lax Goalie Rat Academy. It's my own online private training vault of really all of the lacrosse goalie knowledge that I've accumulated. We've got college goalies, pro goalies, uh, special guests myself out there with college kids demoing a bunch of drills, a bunch of techniques, a bunch of my uh mindset and mental game lessons. Awesome resource for a young goalie, or even a parent of a young goalie. If you want to learn this position, learn what it takes, learn the ropes.
Speaker 2:Join the Lax Goalie Rat Academy. It's just 40 bucks a month. You can get in there and consume all of the content that you want for just 40 bucks a month. Cancel any time. Go to laxgolyratcom slash academy laxgolyratcom slash academy and you can get signed up right away. That'll do it this week. We'll be back next week with another episode. In the meantime, get out there, get some work in, do well and be well. I'm Coach Damon, take care. We'll see you next time.
